From cuneiform to computer keystrokes. Thus when digital technologies of reading and writing arose, soon thereafter people became intensely reflective about what had preceded them: books, paper, pens ...

Schoolchild’s homework in Greek on a wax tablet, Egypt, 2nd century AD (copyright the British Library) LONDON — A 2,000-year-old wax tablet bears inscriptions of the Greek homework of an Egyptian ...

When you purchase an independently reviewed book through our site, we earn an affiliate commission. By Martin Puchner THE GREATEST INVENTION A History of the World in Nine Mysterious Scripts By Silvia ...

Tom has a Master's degree in Journalism. His editorial work covers anything from archaeology and the environment to technology and culture. Tom has a Master's degree in Journalism. His editorial work ...

Corrections & clarifications: An earlier version of this story contained inaccurate or incomplete facts about the history of language. Language is an essential part of human communication, allowing ...

Before printing presses, before paper itself, humans found ways to preserve their thoughts, beliefs, and stories on everything from clay tablets to papyrus scrolls and carefully prepared animal skins.